Apparatus for forming concrete piles



March 1, 1932. E'. D. WATT 1,847,854

APPARATUS FOR FORM-ING' CONCRETE PILES INVENTOR March 1, 1932. E. D. WATT APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE PILES Filed Aug. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R O T N E V .N.

.BY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. l, 1932 j" UNITED [STATES f PATENT OFFICE,

I ELIHU D. WATT, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS,'ASSIGNOR TO RAYMOND CONCRETE PILE COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATlON OF NEW JERSEY i lcore usually becomes very tightly wedged' A APPARATUS Forti roRMING CONCRETE PILES Application med Augustlzo, 1930. serial No. 476,682.

y This invention pertains to the formation of concrete piles ofthe type whe-rein ahollow shell is rst sunk into'the ground by means of a tapered driving core, after which the core is withdrawn, and finally the shell isflfilled with plastic concrete to Ycomplete the p. During the driving of shell and core, the

intothe shell, andit yhasbeen customary, `therefore, to make the core collapsible in order that it may readily be withdrawn from theshell- So far as I am aware, it has never c been possible prior to thepresent invention to use a non-collapsible core on account of the Vimpossibility of withdrawing it after driving. l" l The principal object of ,the present'riveny. tion, therefore, is tofdisclosefways andmeansl for" withdrawing a'solid core"without Vatthe saine time pulling the shellout ofthe ground with Athe core, This islaccomplished by applying downwardly to the shell a reaction equal to the upward pull required to raise the core. In the preferred form herein disclosed, hydraulic pressurel fis applied `downwardly on-the shell and upwardly Ionl the core un-` til they are free from eachother, after which the core may be .lifted out by the usual hoisting means. e

Some'of the advantages of the solid (noncOlIapsible) core are: it isocheaper in irst Cost, the cost` of ,upkeep is comparatively light, itV stands heavier and harder driving,

it is more resistant to bending when boulders andobstructions are encountered,having no breaks in its surface'it completely fills the shell thus providing no openings for sander .water-.to enter should there be leaks -at the joints between shell sections..

Further and other objectsand advantages will be apparent from the speciicationand claims, andv from the drawings whichl illustrate what is nowV considered to'be the preferred embodimenty ofthe invention.,V v

Fig. 1 shows -in vertical cross-section the driving core, shells, driving] head and release' apparatus.'vt 1 f'- 1 Fig. 2 is substantiallythe same as Fig. 1

Y but withthe operative parts in different posi-v tion.

Fig. 3 is a view finished pile. v y n Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modifica.-

tion used when they core is longer than the shell being driven. i

Fig'.` 5 is an enlarged cross-section of the of the lower Vportion of a driving head and parts associated therewith',

Fig. 6 isfaview on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents a tapered, solid drivingcore which for reduction in cost and convenience in handling is made/hollow. It is provided with a semispherical lower end `12 to accommodate a driving shoe 14, and an upper end comprising a? driving head 16 to'which the coreis attachedby screw collar 18. In the head is a vertical cylinder 2 0 containing a piston 22 ing of a stack ofl concrete shellsections surrounding theV core'from shoe 14 to ring 34.

Each" shell comprises an annular concrete lining 36 surrounded by a thin steel casing 38 having an upper end extended to overlap the lower end of the shell above it. Each shell section tightly fits the tapered core and when the core and shell are driven into'the ground by blows or other pressure applied to head 16, the driving efectgis transmitted to the shell sections by virtue of their tapered relationship with the core. 1 n

` It is usually advisable Vwhen the shell sections are ofconcrete, to avoid endv contacts between shell sections during driving in' order to prevent crushing of the ends of the sections as might be the case if too much driving effect kwere transmitted vertically from section to section. The sections are, therefore, fitted tothe core with slight clearance spaces there-- between, asl-,at 40; These spaces if open are either'clos'ed during'the withdrawal ofthe core, as will appear, of if not closed are filled with plastic concrete when the shell is filled therewith.

A suitable valve 42 having a handle 44 controls admission of fluid under pressure from pipe 46 to top or bottom of ycylinder 2() through pipe V48 or 50, respectively.

Fig. 1 shows the shell and core ready for driving, with piston 22 at the top of its stroke tomaintainsome clearance, as at 52, between links 32 and ring 34.

After the driving is completed, valve 42 is upwardly, the result beingthat the core isv freed from the shell as shown in Fig. 2, after which the core is hoisted from the shellfand thesljielll is filled with plastic concrete 54 to form with the shell sections a monolithic pile structure as in Fig. 8. f Y Y When pressure is applied downwardlypto the .pile sections during the core releasing operation the first effect is to close any open clearance spaces`k40 between shell sections, as at 56 `(Figs. 2 and 3). Any spaces not closed are rfilled by concrete' asat 58 (Fig. when the shell is filled.' y i v p vIn case a long core must be used for driving aV comparatively short shell, a spacer shell section 60, preferably of metal, is inserted between ring 34 and the 'top of theshell, as shown in Fig. 4. V It is 'to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment hereinillustrated and described but may be used in other ways without departure lfrom its spirit as defined by the following claims.

y I claimy Apparatus for forming concrete piles comprising a tapered one-piece driving core constructed to accommodate thereon a pile shell adapted to remain inthe ground and be filled with concrete, in combination with means for applying forceto said core to re- `move it vfrom the shell, and means forv transmitting the reaction of said force to the shell tohold it in the ground. Y

2. Apparatus for kforming concrete piles comprising a tapered one-piece driving core constructed to accommodate thereon a pileV shell adapted to remain in the ground and be filled with concrete, in combination vwith means Vfor applying vertical force upwardly Vto-said core -to remove it from theshell after driving, and means for transmitting the Vre,

action of said force downwardly to said shell to hold it in the ground.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 in which said force applying means comprises a fluid-operable device mounted on said core.

4. The invention set forth in claim 2 in which said force applying'means comprises a fluid-operable device mounted on said core and'adapted to thrust upwardly on said core and do-wnwardlyon the shell. :5. Apparatus for 'forming concrete piles comprising ataperedone-piece driving core having a driving"V head thereon and constructed to receive a pile shell which is adapt- "ed to 'r'cmai'n'in'theground and be filled with concrete, in combination with a verticali movable fluid-operable piston in Isaid vhea t, means interconnecting said ,piston and said shell, and 'means for admitting fluid under pressureV between "said y.piston and said head whereby said head and core are pushed upwardly and A'said shell is pushed downwardly,

substantially as described. l A,

`6. The invention set forthin claim in which said interconnectingV means comprises a piston,la cross-head attached to saidpiStOn, and links depending Afrom .the ends of'said kcross-head.` l .A p

7. The invention SetY-forthvin'claimu in which said interconnecting means comprises a piston, across-,head attached tolsaid piston, links depending from the ends ofsaifd crosshead, and a ring between `the* upperr endyof said'shell andthe lower .endsof said links. i

8.'.The invention rset lfor't'hfin 'claim 'i2 in which said .transmitting means includes ya temporary spacer. shell section betweens'aid pile lshell and said force applyingmeans, substantially as described. i l' f v 9. Apparatus for 'forming vconcrete piles comprising a tapered one-piece driving core constructed to accommodate Vthereon a stack of-pile shell sections spaced apart at theiradjacent ends, said stack of shells adapted to be driven into the ground bythe core and there remain to be filled with concrete, in combination with means for applying forcef'to said core to remove it from the shell sections, and means vfor transmitting thereac'tion of said force to said shell sections at one end "thereof, whereby said sections 'are first moved'relative to one anotherto'close said spaces and'then to free the core from saidsections.

- 10. Apparatus for forming concrete piles comprising atapered oneepiece driving core constructed to accommodate thereonastack of pile shell sections lspaced Sapart 'at .their adjacent ends, said stack'of shellsf'adaptedto bedriven into the ground fbyithe core-tand there remain to 'befilled withiconc'rete, in combination with means for applying Yforce llongitudinally to said core to.l remove it from 'the shell sections, and means for'transmittin'gthe reaction of said force in an oppositedirection to said shell. sections at .one .end'vthereon ses whereby said sections are first moved relative to one another to Close said spaces and then to free the core from said sections.

l1. Apparatus for forming concrete piles comprising a tapered one-piece driving core adapted to receive thereon a pile shell, in combination with means for applying force to the core to remove it fromthe shell comprising a driving head attached to the core and having acylinder axially arranged therein, a piston operating in said oylin der, and means connected with the piston for engaging the upper end of said pile shell, together with a source of fluid pressure connected to the cylinder whereby a force may be applied to the driving head to lift the core from the shell against the reaction of said means contacting with the pile shell.

l2. Apparatus for forming concrete piles comprising a tapered one-piece driving core adapted to receive thereon a pile shell, in combination with means for applying force to said core to remove it from the shell which comprises a driving head attached to the core, a iuid piston operating within the head, said core being slotted, a cross head connected to the piston and operating in the slot of the core, and means carried by the cross head and engaged with and adapted to exert a reactionary force on the upper end of the pile shell.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

ELIHU D. WATT. 

